


Reaching Out

by Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: M/M, No Angst, Touch-Starved, but look at the show we're talking about, cameos by the squad and D'Angelo, questionable courtroom tactics, rafael barba's emotional support giraffe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 22:38:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18838195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion
Summary: So, Rafael might be a bit touch-starved, but Sonny's happy to work with it.





	Reaching Out

Dating Sonny, Rafael finds out quickly, isn't all that different from being friends with Sonny. They still snark back and forth, still discuss the law, still grab takeout together so Sonny can help Rafael with case notes or research. It's just that now, sometimes their dinner break includes a make-out session, and now they also go to restaurants or movies, or Rafael goes over to Sonny's so Sonny can cook for him. 

And Sonny touches him. A lot. 

At work, it's the same as always. He claps Rafael on the shoulder or pats his back. He shakes his hand sometimes, and occasionally he'll bump shoulders. Just like he always has. But when they're off the clock (or even sometimes on the clock but alone), the touches change. They get soft and loving. Sonny will brush Rafael's hair off his forehead, or he'll lightly tangle their fingers together when they walk down the street. He'll put an arm around Rafael's shoulders and pull him close, so their bodies are touching all along one side as they watch the news. He'll hug Rafael and hold onto him for a moment, breathing into his hair and running his hands up and down Rafael's back. 

And it feels fucking amazing. Rafael can't remember the last time anyone had touched him so casually, so lovingly. Every time Sonny touches him, he feels himself shiver. He can't help it. It's been so long.

Sonny notices, because of course he does. They're watching a movie, and Sonny has an arm wrapped around Rafael's shoulders. His hand is settled next to Rafael's neck, and he's slowly brushing his thumb back and forth behind Rafael's ear. It's not sexual, just a casual, loving touch. And Rafael is shivering.

"You cold?" Sonny asks, looking away from the movie.

Rafael almost says yes. He's embarrassed by the shivering, the way his body is over-tuned to respond to touch. "No," he says. "It's just your thumb." Sonny's thumb stops moving, and Rafael feels the loss. "It's okay," he says. 

Sonny's watching him, brow furrowed. "Is it tickling? I can stop."

"No, it's really okay," Rafael says. He sighs when Sonny keeps looking at him. "I like how you touch me," he says. "I just haven't been touched like this in...awhile...so I think my body's sort of high-strung about it."

Sonny considers that. "How long is awhile?" he asks. And Rafael silently curses how astute he is with his question.

"I honestly don't know," Rafael replies. "I haven't kept track. But you know I've been single for years."

"And you're not the kind of guy who likes to hug," Sonny replies with an understanding smile. 

"I like hugging you," Rafael says.

"You don't like hugging your friends," Sonny corrects, his smile widening. 

"True." Rafael turns his head so his cheek brushes Sonny's thumb. "It feels really nice," he says. 

Sonny leans in and brushes their noses together. Rafael shivers from it like he does all the other touches. "Good." He gives Rafael a quick kiss. "You can initiate, you know. Or you can just tell me you want me to hold your hand or hug you or something."

"I know," Rafael replies. "But, again, it's been--"

"Awhile," Sonny finishes. "I know. There's a learning curved involved; that's just part of it. I'm happy to keep being grabby on you."

Rafael laughs. "Grabby?"

"Or whatever you want to call it," Sonny says.

Rafael shakes his head in amusement and settles back in to finish the movie. Sonny kisses the top of his head and his thumb starts stroking back and forth again. 

*

Two weeks later, during lunch, Rafael stands in his office and presses his tongue to the roof of his mouth so he doesn't start yelling about the shit show that was their first witness in a multiple-rape trial. 

"We did the best we could," Liv says, her soothing tone making Rafael see red. 

"He fucked us over," Amanda adds, and the insolent shrug she gives Liv almost makes Rafael smile. "He did. He was in great shape when we ran through questions yesterday, then he shows up strung out as fuck today? Dick move."

"He's traumatized," Liv says.

"He's a dumbass," Fin replies. "He stayed up all night panicking, then downed enough caffeine pills he'll probably piss soda. How many times did we remind him to call one of us or his therapist if he needed help with his nerves?"

"You know asking for help gets harder when you're panicked," Liv says.

Rafael glances at Sonny, who hasn't said anything, just looked thoughtful. "What? No two cents from you?"

Sonny shrugs. "You're not done with your direct. Request the chance to recall the witness after drug testing."

"Drug testing?" Liv says, sounding affronted. "He took a few caffeine pills to stay awake."

"That's what he said," Sonny says, "but let's prove it to the jury. He's already talked about being attacked and how terrified he still is. We prove he's clean except for the caffeine, and the jury gets sympathetic on him for panicking."

"You think D'Angelo isn't going to object?" Rafael asks, though he already feels calmer. Sonny's at least offering an idea, not just trying to calm him down. 

"Let D'Angelo pick the lab, then. Our guy's clean."

"You're sure? And I mean absolutely, no questions sure? There's no history of drug abuse for defense to argue it's a relapse?"

"We're sure," Amanda says. "We talked to friends who've known him his whole life. His teenage rebellion phase was to stop going to his parents' church and move over to the Unitarians."

Rafael considers it for a moment. "Fine. Two of you go sit with him until court resumes. We'll see what the judge says."

"Amanda, you and Fin go," Liv says. "Carisi's up to testify next."

"On it," Fin says, and he and Amanda leave the office.

"It's gonna be okay," Liv says to Rafael.

"Maybe," Rafael replies. 

Liv gives him a stern look, then glances at Sonny. "I'll see you after lunch," she says, and Rafael is certain she thinks he can't see the long-suffering look Liv gives Sonny.

"Bye, Lieu," Sonny says. He walks over to Rafael and stands next to him by his desk. He bumps their shoulders together. "You need anything?"

Rafael sighs and uncrosses his arms, letting them drop hard at his sides. "A do-over would be nice."

"You'll get it. Worse comes to worse, we get him away from the caffeine pills and you recall him for a re-direct tomorrow later."

Rafael rolls his neck. "True."

Sonny takes a half-step so he's standing in front of Rafael. He opens his arms. "Come here," he says. 

Rafael wants to argue he doesn't need a hug, but Sonny looks as inviting as ever, so he steps forward and wraps his arms around Sonny's waist. When Sonny wraps his own arms around Rafael's shoulders, Rafael shivers, and he feels the rest of his stress bleed off.

Sonny runs his hands up and down Rafael's back. "Better?"

Rafael presses his forehead to Sonny's shoulder. "Yes," he says. "Thank you."

*

"Your honor, if the prosecution is going to request their own witness be drug tested, I respectfully request to have a say in what lab they use."

"The State has no issue with Mr. D'Angelo choosing the lab," Rafael says, giving D'Angelo his best placid smile. D'Angelo narrows his eyes, suspicious. "We're certain it will show our witness told the truth to the jury this morning and took a few caffeine pills to help stay awake after a sleepless night."

The judge looks at D'Angelo. "If counsel has no objections, I will allow a test to take place and for the witness to be recalled once the results have been entered into evidence."

D'Angelo is still squinting at Rafael. "That's fine, your honor. My firm has a lab we prefer that can have a result by the morning if we can get Mr. Barba's witness over there immediately."

"I have detectives standing by to escort him, your honor," Rafael says. 

"Good. We'll call it an early day and you can give Mr. Barba the information so he can get his witness over there as soon as possible." The judges lifts her gavel. "We shall reconvene here at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Have a good evening, everyone." She taps her gavel, and the bailiff begins to lead out the jury as the gallery empties. 

D'Angelo crosses the aisle after another bailiff has escorted out his client. "If there's a drop of drugs in his system, you're shooting yourself in the foot," he says. 

"You really only need nine toes," Rafael replies. 

D'Angelo gives him the suspicious look again, but he's kept from replying by Liv coming up to get the name and address of the lab.

"You sure you trust this lab?" Liv asks Rafael, and he holds back his grin at the affronted look on D'Angelo's face.

"I've recommended it myself for independent results," he assures her. 

"We'll get him over there," she says. She gives them both a nod and walks away. 

Rafael doesn't bother to say anything else to D'Angelo. Their business is concluded. He leads the way out of the courtroom and veers left while D'Angelo heads straight for the exit. Sonny's on a bench around the corner, and Rafael drops next to him. "For fuck's sake, would you become a lawyer already?"

Sonny laughs, pocketing his phone. "I was just reading Liv's text saying everyone agreed to the test. Glad it worked."

"Glad it worked," Rafael says with a scoff. He reaches over without thinking and interlaces his fingers with Sonny's. He gets that same little shiver as always, and he can't help but smile. 

"Hey," Sonny says, squeezing his hand, "you're learning."

Rafael smiles and squeezes back.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea how a case snuck in here. I blame my love of Sonny being smart. Would an actual judge allow this sort of agreement to go down? My gut says no. My love of melodrama says why the fuck not.


End file.
